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The Septuagint in Jewish and Early Christian Teaching

The Septuagint, also known as the LXX, is an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. It has been an important document for Jews and Christians alike, with its earliest known origins dating back to the third century BCE. This article will provide a timeline of when specific books were added to the Septuagint, as well as the use of this text by early Christians.

The Translation of the Septuagint

The Septuagint was translated into Greek by a group of scholars, according to a legend that dates back to the third century BCE. The legend tells of seventy-two Jewish scholars who were commissioned to translate the Hebrew Bible into Greek for the Greek-speaking Jews of Alexandria, Egypt. This work was completed in stages over time, and it is estimated that the translation of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) was completed in the second century BCE.

Over time, additional books were added to the Septuagint, and the number of books in the Septuagint is different from the number of books in the Hebrew Bible. This is due to the fact that the Septuagint translated not only the Hebrew Bible, but also a number of other Jewish works in circulation at the time, such as the Wisdom of Solomon, the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus), and the Tobit.

Timeline of Additions to the Septuagint

Around the second century BCE, the Pentateuch was translated into Greek by the Septuagint scholars. This was followed closely by the translation of the historical books, such as Joshua, Judges, and Kings, as well as the books of the Prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Next, the books of the Writings were added, such as Psalms, Proverbs, and Job.

In the first century BCE to the first century CE, additional books were added to the Septuagint, including the Wisdom of Solomon, Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), and the Tobit. In the centuries that followed, additional books were added such as Judith, Baruch, and Maccabees. This process of adding books continued until the fourth century CE, when the canon of the Septuagint was essentially finalized.

Use of the Septuagint by Early Christians

The Septuagint was an important document for Jews and Christians alike in the ancient world. For the early Christians, the Septuagint was a way to interpret the Hebrew Bible in Greek, the common language of the Mediterranean world.

The New Testament contains numerous quotations and allusions to the Septuagint, indicating that it was a widely used text in the early Christian church. The quotes in the New Testament were not always taken directly from the Hebrew Bible, but instead from the Greek translation that was available to them in the Septuagint.

One of the earliest Christian authors to use the Septuagint was the apostle Paul. In his letters, he often quotes the Septuagint, even when it does not agree with the Hebrew text. This shows that the Septuagint was already an established text within the early Christian church.

The Septuagint was also a key text in the early Christian debates about the nature of Christ. Some early Christian theologians, such as the author of the Gospel of John and Ignatius of Antioch, used the Septuagint to argue that Christ was divine. They used the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible to show that Christ had been present with God from the beginning of creation.

Other early Christian writers, such as Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, used the Septuagint to argue that Christ was the fulfillment of the Jewish Scriptures. They saw the similarities between the Septuagint and the New Testament as evidence that Christ was the promised messiah of the Jewish Scriptures.

The Septuagint’s Influence on Theology

Through its use by early Christians, the Septuagint had a profound influence on the development of Christian theology. The Septuagint was a major source for the development of key Christian concepts such as the divine nature of Christ, the Trinity, and the idea of salvation through faith.

For example, early Christian writers used the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible to support the idea of the Trinity. According to this concept, God is one in essence, but three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son (Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. This idea is found in the Gospel of John, where Christ refers to himself as the “Son” of God, and in the letters of Paul, where he refers to the Holy Spirit as a distinct person of the Trinity.

In addition to its influence on theology, the Septuagint had an impact on the development of Christian liturgy. Many of the psalms from the Septuagint were included in the liturgy of the early Christian church. These psalms continue to be an important part of Christian worship today.

Conclusion

The Septuagint is an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible that was completed in the third century BCE. Over time, additional books were added to the Septuagint, and it eventually became the primary text used by Greek-speaking Jews and early Christians. The Septuagint was a key document for the development of Christian theology and had a profound influence on many key Christian concepts. Today, the Septuagint continues to be an important text for scholars studying the history of Christianity and the development of the biblical canon.